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Building Ukraine's next generation of anti-corruption champions
Ukraine’s reconstruction and EU accession will depend on people who can put anti-corruption reforms into practice. A paid internship programme developed and led by Transparency International Ukraine TI Ukraine in partnership with the Basel Institute on Governance is building exactly that pool of talent. The initiative is currently in its third year, with support from the Principality of Liechtenstein and prior institutional support for TI Ukraine from the Swedish International Development Agency SIDA . In just three years, 42 interns have completed the programme – and alumni are already working at TI Ukraine, the High Anti-Corruption Court, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention and other key institutions. The 2026 cohort ended its placements with a study visit to Liechtenstein and Switzerland. One of the 2026 interns, Yelyzaveta Liza , summed up the experience: This internship was a crucial step in my professional growth – I gained hands-on experience in analysing legal frameworks, identifying corruption risks and designing training sessions, while feeling that I am contributing to Ukraine's development. Meeting leading practitioners left me reassured that one should never hesitate to speak up and share ideas, as true growth happens through open dialogue. Taking first career steps in anti-corruption The programme gives university students and young professionals a structured, hands-on entry point into anti-corruption work, placing them for four to six months with either TI Ukraine or the Basel Institute’s Kyiv-based team under close mentorship. The design was a deliberate break with the past and a breath of fresh air for those who associate internships with making coffee and filing documents. Volunteers had been part of TI Ukraine for a long time – around 10 to 12 a year, usually working remotely on routine tasks. After the full-scale invasion in 2022, the organisation rebuilt the internship experience from scratch. The new paid internship programme has a single annual intake that forms a cohort, an office-first hybrid format, dedicated time for training and onboarding, and placements across several departments. Demand has climbed steadily. The 2024 pilot drew 57 applications, the 2025 edition 156 and the 2026 edition more than 250 – for just 16 places. For a generation whose education and early working life were shaped by COVID lockdowns, the war and near-permanent remote study and work, these internships offer a crucial route to practical and meaningful experience in the anti-corruption field. Sofia, an intern in TI Ukraine’s grant department, said: What I valued most is that you really get to meet other people and dive into a completely different context. It’s something you’ll never get from books or articles. Svitlana Lutsiuk, Senior Specialist, Corruption Prevention in the Basel Institute’s team in Kyiv, explained what she learned from mentoring Liza, whose internship focused on legal analysis: My key takeaway is that clear tasks, real ownership and honest feedback are all it takes. Liza showed just how fast talent unfolds when you trust an intern with work that truly matters. A study visit to Liechtenstein and Basel The 2026 edition closed with a study visit to Liechtenstein and Switzerland. The guiding questions were: what works in these countries to tackle corruption, and how can those lessons be adapted to Ukraine’s context? Six interns took part: students and recent graduates of various Ukrainian universities with backgrounds in law, international relations, public policy, sociology, public history, social work and art history. In Liechtenstein, the interns explored the country’s political system and participatory democracy, how courts, police and government bodies tackle corruption cases, and the tools used against money laundering. They met Deputy Prime Minister Sabine Monauni and spent a day with representatives of the banking sector, discussing compliance, anti-money laundering and fraud prevention. In Switzerland, they met the team at the Basel Institute’s headquarters and learned about its wider work – from business integrity and to tackling green corruption, to research that drives behaviour change and why it is important to “follow the money” and recover illicit assets. They also dove into the practicalities of running an anti-corruption organisation. Maksym, an intern in TI Ukraine’s legal department, put it frankly: “One thought I’m taking back to Ukraine is the realisation that Ukraine isn’t alone in facing corruption. A committed and professional cohort Despite the difficult circumstances – starting a career in anti-corruption while their country is under attack – the interns impressed mentors and study visit partners alike with their commitment and professionalism. The interns were equally positive about their internship experience. They highlighted the meaningful rather than mechanical tasks, concrete professional growth opportunities and gains in confidence and resilience. In a short video shared on social media, the interns summarised what they found most valuable and memorable. Anastasia, an intern in TI Ukraine’s communications department, emphasised the value of gaining: …soft skills and experience creating content at important events. Capacity that outlasts the internship The impact of the internship programme extends far beyond the placement itself. In the first three years, 42 interns have completed the revamped internship programme. Several have received job offers from TI Ukraine or the Basel Institute, while other alumni have found jobs at Ukrainian anti-corruption and law enforcement institutions such as the High Anti-Corruption Court, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention, the Economic Security Bureau and the Prosecutor’s Office. This is what sustainable local capacity looks like in practice. Students and recent graduates gain their first real professional experience in the field, Ukrainian institutions recruit people who already know the terrain, and the wider anti-corruption community gains young professionals who have seen integrity applied as a working principle. For the future of anti-corruption work in Ukraine and beyond, that is a real cause for optimism. Learn more - More on the internship programme. - TI Ukraine news about the 2026 study visit to Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
Second cohort from five continents starts Basel STUDY anti-corruption programme
Thirteen professionals from five continents have started the second edition of the Basel Institute's postgraduate programme on anti-corruption, the Certificate of Advanced Studies CAS Mastering Today's Anti-Corruption Challenges. They met for the first time at an opening event in Basel and online on 2 and 3 October 2026. The cohort includes people from Colombia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Morocco, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sudan and Zambia, as well as from several European countries, such as Germany and Switzerland, and the United States. Their professional backgrounds range from law to economics and politics, with four currently working in the public sector and others joining from private firms, non-profits and academia. Six are women, seven are men. Over the next six months they will study together online, test ideas against each other's experience and apply what they learn to a corruption problem from their own work. Why anti-corruption education matters more than ever The programme, run with the University of Basel, is one of two Basel STUDY micro-degrees we launched in 2025. Its second edition starts at a time when the world needs more people who can make anti-corruption work in practice: people who can adapt it to local conditions and focus on what actually changes behaviour. Dr Peter Maurer, President of the Basel Institute on Governance, described the stakes in his welcome address: People around the world are taking to the streets to demand their rights under the banner of anti-corruption. This course is designed to strengthen your operational tools and foster meaningful engagement with civil society, judicial authorities, financial intelligence units and international organisations. Participants who complete the programme receive a CAS from the University of Basel worth 10 ECTS credits. Each also completes a study project on a real corruption challenge from their own professional context, which they present to the class at the end of the course. Learning what works, and where The course draws on political science, behavioural science, law and economics, and on the Basel Institute’s own projects and cases over more than 23 years. In the opening session, Professor Dr Stefanie Bailer of the University of Basel, who chairs the Study Programme Committee and is Vice-President of our Board, highlighted the value of linking academic research with the Institute’s practical work. A recurring question in the course is why a measure that works in one country fails in another, and what it takes to change behaviour once the rules are on paper. Dr Claudia Baez Camargo, Director of our Prevention, Research and Innovation PRI team and lead instructor for the course, explained the thinking behind it: We do research not for the sake of research, but to generate rigorous, evidence-based knowledge that can be translated directly into practice. Ultimately, our mission is to make a real impact in the world. She teaches alongside Dr Saba Kassa, Deputy Director of the PRI team, who led the cohort's first two live sessions on the Saturday, and Dr Jacopo Costa, Senior Specialist, PRI. Countering corruption in a changing world The opening session gave participants a taste of the perspectives ahead. Dr Ramadhani Marijani of the University of Dodoma in Tanzania presented Afrimeter 2063, a proposed way of measuring corruption's impact on communities that builds on local concepts such as Ujamaa in Tanzania and Harambee in Kenya. Huma Yusuf, Head of Financial Services Responsible Investing and Director of Business Integrity at British International Investment, showed how bribes for fraudulent licences can sit behind disasters such as the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh. A panel with Daniel Demeter of the Alliance for Integrity in Brazil and Irenka Krone-Germann, CEO of cinfo, a network of development organisations, turned to the skills that matter on the job, from institutional diplomacy to empathy. A growing alumni community Two speakers were graduates themselves. Dr Marijani completed the first edition of the CAS in 2025/26 and returned as a keynote speaker. Julio Petrucci, a public prosecutor in the Province of Buenos Aires who completed the sister programme, CAS Combating Financial Crime Through Asset Recovery, in August 2026, told the new cohort what the course had meant for him: When I applied for the CAS, I already had many years of experience in criminal investigations, but crime was changing and I felt that I needed new tools and an international perspective. The CAS really marked a before and an after in my professional career. What I valued most was the practical approach: we worked with real problems, real cases and practical tools that I could connect directly with my daily work as a prosecutor. Alumni of both first-edition programmes were invited to join online, and one, based in Switzerland, attended in Basel. Financial support opens the door Several of the 13 participants are studying with financial support from the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund, named after the Institute's late Managing Director. We thank our main donors Kellerhals Carrard, the Chandler Foundation, the International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators and, jointly, ECO Strategic Communications, Bonifassi Avocats and Bennett Jones. Rueben Lifuka, Zambia Country Director of the Chandler Foundation, joined the event online from Lusaka. He spoke about the Foundation’s focus on building cultures of integrity and explained: We see a strong synergy between the work of the Chandler Foundation and that of the Basel Institute on Governance. Both recognise that addressing corruption requires not only effective laws and institutions, but also knowledge, professional capability, leadership, collaboration and the willingness to continually adapt our approaches to a changing environment. The Chandler Foundation is proud to be associated with this initiative. Julio Petrucci, who took part in the asset recovery programme with financial support from the Scholarship Fund, put the value in a nutshell: When you support a prosecutor, an investigator or another professional, the impact of that support does not end with that person. What we learn goes back with us to our institutions, our cases and our countries. We are deeply grateful to all donors to the scholarship fund for their generous support. What’s next and how to get involved We hope to see many of the cohort come to Basel in person for the closing event in April 2027. Dates for the next intake of both Basel STUDY programmes will be announced soon; to hear first, sign up to our newsletter and tick "Events and courses". To support future participants, visit the Scholarship Fund donations page or email study@baselgovernance.org.
Basel-Stadt backs international anti-corruption programme with CHF 3.4 million grant
The Canton of Basel-Stadt has approved a CHF 3.4 million grant to the Basel Institute on Governance for 2026–2029. The project, “From Risk to Resilience”, focuses on developing context-sensitive solutions to address systemic corruption and advance inclusive development. Working with local partners in countries across four continents, we will apply behavioural science tools to strengthen anti-corruption programmes and co-create pilot interventions for complex governance challenges. We will build evidence of what works, share lessons and help institutions put effective approaches into practice to support lasting development gains. The contribution is part of the Canton’s first round of multi-year programme funding under its new Act on International Cooperation for Poverty Reduction and the Strengthening of Sustainable Development GIZA , and aligns with the priorities set out in Basel-Stadt’s International Cooperation Strategy 2026–2029. Why behaviour matters in the fight against corruption Corruption remains one of the greatest obstacles to sustainable development and poverty reduction. It deters investment, deepens inequality and diverts scarce public resources away from essential services. Anti-corruption laws and standards have expanded over the past decades, but their implementation in practice is still a work in progress. And even when countries see improvements in their governance, they continue to be challenged by limited resources, weak enforcement and growing geopolitical pressures. Closing this gap between laws and their implementation demands practical solutions that work in real-world political, social and cultural contexts. Locally owned solutions that can be adapted and scaled The Basel Institute has long experience working with people and institutions at the front lines of tackling corruption in their contexts. Together, we help to identify and promote solutions that address corruption as a systemic barrier to equitable growth and inclusive governance. We see first-hand how communities benefit through improved access to public services, expanded economic opportunity, reduced inequality and stronger rule of law. The Basel Institute’s approach combines practical experience with research on behaviour and social norms to develop interventions that can work in specific contexts. With the support of the new grant, we will be able to further apply this approach to: - strengthen the impact and sustainability of anti-corruption programmes; - co-create promising interventions with local partners; - build and share evidence of what works; and - help other countries and institutions put proven approaches into practice. Our Prevention, Research and Innovation team will lead the multi-disciplinary programme, collaborating with other specialist teams across the Institute and our global network. Special thanks for the support from our home Canton Peter Maurer, President of the Board of the Basel Institute on Governance, said: This grant from Basel-Stadt is welcome not only for the good work it will fund, but most importantly for what it represents – a spark of hope in the face of geopolitical fragmentation and shrinking budgets for development assistance. It's a recognition that the people of Basel and their elected representatives are clear-sighted about the need to tackle corruption in order to solve problems of poverty, sustainability and health, and that they care about these global goods. Elizabeth Andersen, Executive Director of the Basel Institute on Governance, said: Tackling corruption translates into better development outcomes – improved education, health, environmental protection and economic opportunity. This contribution from Basel-Stadt recognises the value of testing anti-corruption interventions, developing evidence of what works, and replicating and scaling those proven solutions elsewhere. We are sincerely grateful to Basel-Stadt for investing in this mission. The grant marks a significant investment by Basel-Stadt in applied anti-corruption research and practice. It will enable us to deepen our collaboration with partners around the world, strengthen the evidence base for behavioural approaches and share lessons that can inform anti-corruption efforts beyond individual programmes and countries. Learn more - Basel-Stadt announces the 2026–2029 programme funding
Malawi hosts first regional workshop on managing seized assets
Crime must not pay, but what we recover must also be worth recovering. With these words, Charles Mhango, Malawi's Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, opened the first Regional Asset Management Workshop in Salima, Malawi, on 29 September 2026. Over two days, nearly 40 prosecutors, law enforcement representatives and asset management officers from Ghana, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia worked with international experts on a practical question. How do you stop seized assets losing value while a criminal case makes its way through the courts? The workshop was organised by the Basel Institute's International Centre for Asset Recovery ICAR and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions of Malawi, led by Fostino Yankho Maele. Ben Nicholson, British Deputy High Commissioner and Development Director, and representatives of the Royal Norwegian Embassy also took part. Warm thanks to ICAR’s donors, in particular the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office FCDO and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation Norad , for funding this valuable meeting of minds. A shared challenge Criminal cases can take years. In that time, seized cars rust, buildings fall into disrepair and businesses collapse. When an asset loses its value, everyone loses. The state recovers less if the suspect is convicted, and the owner gets back less if they are acquitted. Practitioners increasingly understand that asset management is an essential part of asset recovery. The difficulty lies in the detail. - Resources are often limited, and laws do not always allow assets to be managed or sold before a case ends. - Essential good practices such as pre-seizure planning are still new in many places. - Complex assets such as companies, mines or petrol stations need specialist skills that prosecutors and police do not typically have. These problems are by no means unique to Africa. Elizabeth Andersen, Executive Director of the Basel Institute, reminded participants that practitioners everywhere face them. A representative of Ireland’s Criminal Assets Bureau reinforced the point with the country’s own experience of managing seized real estate. Learning from experience Participants were eager to share what had worked for them and what had not. The camaraderie among practitioners was evident, which kept the discussions dynamic and encouraged peer learning. Complex, income-generating assets came up again and again. One jurisdiction described managing a mine that was already struggling financially even before the price of its commodity fell sharply. Other delegations spoke about their efforts to ensure that tenants of seized properties paid rent to the state instead of to suspects. There were positive experiences too. In one jurisdiction, seized assets put up for auction sold for more than their initial asking prices. The countries represented at the workshop are now seeking to move towards specialised models and streamlined procedures for managing seized assets. No single model The clearest message from the two days was that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to asset management. A house, a fleet of tankers, a bank account and a crypto wallet each need different handling. What works in one legal system may not work in another. That gives African jurisdictions an opportunity. They can learn from shared experiences in the region and beyond, and build models and processes that suit their own needs and circumstances. Next steps The discussions will inform broad principles that participating jurisdictions can adapt to their own systems. A specialised focus group on managing seized cryptoassets is also launching under the Basel Institute’s Africa Crypto & Asset Recovery Network. Through our ICAR field experts in Africa and our international partners, we look forward to supporting the region’s asset management and recovery professionals as they develop the policies, laws and practices needed to manage criminal assets and recover maximum value for victims and the state. Learn more - Read the Malawi Ministry of Justice press release on the workshop. - See Rita Simões’ Quick Guide to Managing Seized and Confiscated Assets.
Moldova gains five certified trainers in financial investigations and asset recovery
Congratulations to the five Moldovan practitioners who are now certified to conduct training in financial investigations and asset recovery using the case-based training methodology of the Basel Institute's International Centre for Asset Recovery ICAR . They received their trainer certificates at the end of a 10-month Train-the-Trainer programme run by ICAR with Moldova's National Institute of Justice NIJ . The final workshop took place in Chisinau on 14–18 September 2026. Over five workshops since December 2025, the programme also trained 106 judges, prosecutors, investigators and other practitioners. The programme responded to a request from Moldova's President, Maia Sandu, for support in building skills across the country's asset recovery chain, from financial investigation to international cooperation and confiscation. It forms part of the CRESTA asset recovery assistance project, which ICAR implements with financial support from the Swiss Cooperation Office in Moldova. In addition to training, this includes hands-on support with live cases and legislative reform. We congratulate the new trainers and all participants, and thank the NIJ and other government partners for the fruitful collaboration. The new trainers The five certified trainers work at the heart of Moldova's efforts to recover criminal assets. One is a Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the Anti-Corruption Prosecution Office. Two lead or work in criminal investigation teams at the State Fiscal Service's anti-fraud directorate. The other two are at the Criminal Assets Recovery Agency. One of them, Pavel Calpajiu, heads the Criminal Assets Recovery Agency's department for valuing and managing seized assets. During the programme he gave a session on parallel financial investigations, which means following the money from the very start of a case. This approach was emphasised throughout the whole training. The five – three women, two men – are now ready to train their colleagues on their own. Why train trainers? Training local trainers means the skills remain in Moldova long after the programme ends. With the NIJ's support, the new trainers can keep transferring what they have learned to new groups of practitioners. People also learn better from their peers. The new trainers know Moldova's laws and institutions, and they work on the same kinds of cases as the people they teach. Their examples come from real experience. Teaching benefits the trainers too. Practitioners who train others often try out new approaches in their own cases and bring those lessons back into the classroom. Over time, this helps investigators and prosecutors across the country find more effective ways to trace and recover criminal assets. Learning by doing ICAR's methodology is built around a realistic case that participants investigate in small groups, from the first suspicion to the recovery of assets. One participant said: The investigation we conducted was extremely interesting and instructive, providing me with a clear understanding of how a real process unfolds. Another remarked: I gained new knowledge and skills that I will apply in my prosecution and judicial trainer daily work and future practice. Another participant found that the group work was central to the course, as it: enhances teamwork and the exchange of experiences among group members from different fields, which ultimately facilitates \ learning\ . Participants came from more than 10 institutions, including the courts, prosecution offices, the Criminal Assets Recovery Agency, the National Anti-Corruption Centre, the National Integrity Authority, the State Fiscal Service, the Customs Service, the police and the Office for the Prevention and Control of Money Laundering. ICAR-led learning Our ICAR training team has expanded its training offer to meet the varied needs of practitioners everywhere. If you’re not a government agency, check out the free eLearning courses on Basel LEARN, or secure your spot on ICAR’s four-day online course on asset recovery that is open to individuals including journalists and civil society. For a deeper dive into the theory and practice of investigations and asset recovery, there’s still time to enrol on our academic programme with the University of Basel, Combating financial crime through asset recovery.
Progress towards open blockchain intelligence standards for investigations, compliance and supervision
Investigating corruption and other financial crimes often requires authorities in different countries to piece together information held by different agencies and private companies. Recovering the proceeds depends on their ability to share, understand and act on that information. When cryptoassets are involved, blockchain intelligence tools can help investigators trace funds and identify links to individuals or services. But agencies may use different tools, each with its own terminology, data formats and analytical methods. Comparing findings or passing an investigation to another authority can involve substantial additional work. Shared standards would make this cooperation easier. Developing them requires technical expertise and sustained engagement among stakeholders with different responsibilities, interests and needs. Not an easy task, but essential if we are to keep up with the speed and global scale of financial crime involving cryptoassets. A breakout session at the 10th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptoassets in Luxembourg examined progress towards these standards, building on a previous breakout at the 2025 conference in Vienna. Breakout organisers Bernhard Haslhofer and Allison Owen of the Complexity Science Hub Vienna contributed to this Q&A on the discussion and next steps in the Open Blockchain Intelligence Standards initiative. Why does standardisation need a collective effort? Investigators need findings they can share across borders and use in court. Supervisors and cryptoasset service providers CASPs need information they can rely on for risk assessments and compliance decisions. Tool providers need to meet those requirements while protecting their methods and commercial interests. Agreeing standards means working through these needs together. Technical experts can propose definitions and formats, but the people producing and using the information need to help shape them. The Basel Institute on Governance brings these stakeholders together through the Global Conference, co-organised with Europol and UNODC and hosted in 2026 by the Luxembourg Bureau de gestion des avoirs. It provides a neutral platform to discuss problems openly and work on practical solutions. This reflects the approach behind anti-corruption Collective Action: bringing private-sector and other stakeholders together around a shared need, even where their interests differ. All major tool providers were in the room and actively engaged, alongside public authorities and other specialists. There was clear interest in the work and plenty to discuss, though reaching agreement will require continued participation. Isn’t variety in the blockchain analytics industry good for innovation and competition? Yes – but there is a big “but”. Without shared standards, providers use different terms and definitions to describe similar information, and present it in different formats. These differences impose a “translation tax”: the time and resources needed to compare outputs, explain terminology and reconcile findings across tools. This does not necessarily stop an investigation, but it can slow cooperation and create unnecessary work. Standardisation does not mean giving up companies’ ability to innovate and compete or disclose their “secret sauce”. Common terminology and data formats would make their outputs easier to compare and review while allowing providers to retain their own methods. Who needs blockchain intelligence standards? Everyone who produces or uses blockchain intelligence, though for different reasons: - Investigators: Common data formats and terminology would make it easier to share findings between tools, and to improve inter-agency and cross-border cooperation. - Policymakers: Requirements to use blockchain analytics tools need clear definitions and meaningful criteria for assessing their quality and suitability. A topical example is a reference in the U.S. Clarity Act to “industry standard distributed ledger-analytics tools”, when no such industry standard currently exists. - Expert witnesses, prosecutors and judges: Consistent terminology and clearer documentation would help all parties understand and scrutinise blockchain intelligence used in court, including the defence. - Supervisors: Data from blockchain intelligence platforms can feed into a risk-based approach for supervision of CASPs. Standard data formats and terminology would ease automation and the efficiency of this process. - CASPs: Exchanges and other cryptoasset service providers need to understand the basis for findings that inform compliance decisions. If their tool produces different findings from a supervisor’s tool, they need to know why. What progress has there been? At the breakout, providers described efforts to make the sources and reasoning behind their findings more transparent, improve attribution reports and preserve supporting material. Attribution is the link between a blockchain address and a real-world individual or entity, such as a sanctioned actor or an exchange. There has also been progress in publishing definitions and documenting how addresses, wallets and their operators are described. These contributions are useful, but individual providers’ approaches do not yet amount to shared standards. What is the Open Blockchain Intelligence Standards initiative? Bernhard Haslhofer presented the initiative, which includes draft terms and definitions for: - Basic blockchain concepts: Objects such as addresses and transactions. - Custody and control: Who holds the cryptographic keys used to control assets and on whose behalf. - Wallet roles: How wallets are used, for example to receive deposits or hold funds. - Computational methods: How addresses are grouped or “clustered” on the assumption that they are controlled by the same entity. - Attribution: How an address or group of addresses is linked to a real-world entity, and what supports that link. The aim is to develop standards that work for all stakeholders while respecting companies’ proprietary methods and intelligence. What are the next steps? The immediate priority is to refine the shared vocabulary through contributions from tool providers, public authorities, CASPs and technical experts. The open process, which is planned to continue over the next months with both live meetings and discussions on GitHub, will allow contributors to discuss drafts, challenge definitions and work towards agreement. Further work will be needed to test and implement the standards. This work to develop open standards and interoperability dovetails with an initiative of the Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime and its Digital Asset Task Force. Presented by DATF Co-Chair Dimitrij Gede during the breakout, the Attribution Center concept aims to make attribution data available to public authorities such as financial intelligence units and law enforcement agencies. With access to more comprehensive information attributing crypto wallets to read-world entities, they would more easily be able to identify illicit activity and produce actionable intelligence from suspicious transaction reports. Agreed standards and interoperability are essential to making that ambitious idea a reality. We hope that both projects succeed, and fast. Learn more - Interested in contributing to the standards project? Check out the OBIS web page and related GitHub forum. - Learn more about the 10th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptoassets
Peru and Ecuador join forces against transnational organised crime
The Attorneys General of Peru and Ecuador have signed an agreement establishing a joint investigation team to pursue a major transnational organised crime investigation spanning both countries. Signed on 29 September 2026 in Peru’s Sacred Valley, on the margins of the General Assembly of the Ibero-American Association of Public Prosecutors AIAMP , the agreement culminates a complex bilateral process supported by the Basel Institute on Governance’s International Centre for Asset Recovery ICAR . ICAR already provides technical assistance to the investigations in Peru and Ecuador and will continue that support within the joint framework. Why is a joint investigation team needed? It helps solve a simple but increasingly urgent problem. Organised criminal groups can operate across borders as integrated structures, while criminal justice systems remain largely confined within national boundaries. Those boundaries can become barriers to effective prosecution in complex transnational cases. Joint investigation teams help narrow that gap by enabling prosecutors and investigators from different jurisdictions to plan investigative steps, coordinate evidence gathering and develop a common strategy. A high-level commitment to investigate together The agreement was signed during a closed high-level session held alongside the AIAMP meeting, bringing together senior prosecutors and international cooperation officials from both countries. Peru was represented by Attorney General Tomás Gálvez, together with senior prosecutors responsible for international cooperation, organised crime and asset recovery. Ecuador was represented by Acting Attorney General Leonardo Alarcón and the head of the prosecution service’s international affairs office. ICAR’s Latin America team facilitated the session and will continue supporting implementation under its longstanding cooperation frameworks with the prosecution services of both countries. Attorney General Tomás Gálvez emphasised: The agreement is important, but it is only the starting point. What matters now is that the authorities trust each other and work together. These criminal organisations do not respect borders, and neither country can face them alone. We need close and constant cooperation. If we do not act now, violence will continue to grow, citizens will be at greater risk and the State will lose control in places where criminal groups are already trying to impose their own rules. Gálvez also thanked the Basel Institute for its longstanding support and for helping to facilitate and provide technical assistance to the establishment of the joint investigation team. Acting Attorney General Leonardo Alarcón likewise emphasised the importance of sustained institutional backing. Thanking his Peruvian counterparts for their reception, he committed the Ecuadorian prosecution service to supporting an investigation whose scale and cross-border character require close cooperation between the two institutions. Alarcón asked his international cooperation team to maintain close coordination on the case and acknowledged ICAR’s contribution to bringing the two prosecution services together around the new investigative framework. In depth: Joint investigation teams in Latin America Joint investigation teams represent a welcome development in investigative practice, particularly for complex cases that cannot be effectively addressed within the boundaries of a single jurisdiction. Putting them into practice in Latin America, however, is not always straightforward. Unlike Europe, the region has no harmonised legal framework governing their establishment and operation. Each arrangement must therefore be built around the applicable international instruments and the procedural rules of the participating countries. This requires a careful balance. Joint work must respect the powers, procedures and safeguards of each sovereign State while remaining consistent with international standards of cooperation. That balance is not always easy to achieve, but it is particularly important where the seriousness and urgency of the crimes under investigation demand a faster and more integrated response. Challenges around evidence Evidence provides a good example of trying to strike that balance in practice. A joint investigation can make its collection and exchange considerably more direct, but this must be accompanied by clear rules on documentation, chain of custody and procedural safeguards. Evidence gathered jointly must ultimately withstand scrutiny before a court and be capable of resisting challenges by the defence. Otherwise, a criminal trial intended to determine guilt and responsibility risks becoming a lengthy dispute over whether the evidence can be admitted or relied upon at all. Cross-border cooperation under review Procedural regulation of joint investigation teams remains limited in many countries in the region. In addition, the existence of an agreement to investigate jointly does not, by itself, remove the requirements that normally govern international criminal cooperation between sovereign States. Depending on the measure involved, issues such as dual criminality, specialty, judicial authorisation and other procedural safeguards may still need to be satisfied. How these principles apply will have to be assessed case-by-case as the joint investigation develops, particularly where evidence is intended for use before national courts. In Peru, experience from this and other cases has already informed a proposal, technically supported by the Basel Institute, to introduce specific provisions on joint investigation teams into the Criminal Procedure Code, making use of the Attorney General’s power to submit legislative initiatives. The aim is to provide greater legal certainty for future joint investigations while preserving the flexibility that makes the mechanism useful in practice. Asset recovery built into the joint investigation A notable feature of the agreement is that asset recovery is incorporated into the joint investigative framework from the outset. Under the agreement, Peru and Ecuador established a common framework on how to coordinate the identification, tracing, securing and eventual confiscation of assets across both jurisdictions, rather than leaving these questions to a later stage of the investigation. This gives practical effect to a principle widely recognised in organised crime investigations across the region: disrupting criminal organisations also means targeting the financial structures that sustain them. Oscar Solórzano emphasised: In the face of increasingly complex and global crime, cooperation between states is the only way to respond effectively. We need to make efficient use of all the bilateral and regional cooperation mechanisms at our disposal and overcome the traditional dichotomy between criminals operating in an organised fashion and criminal justice systems operating in silos. That is the spirit of this joint investigation team. The aim is to achieve concrete results through coordinated operations and procedures that enable us to go after criminal networks and, at the same time, dismantle the financial structures that sustain them.” In a cross-border investigation, a coordinated asset recovery strategy allows authorities to assess, as the case develops, which legal tools available in each jurisdiction offer the best prospect of tracing, securing and ultimately recovering assets. Clear rules can also help them anticipate how measures will be coordinated and how confiscated assets may eventually be disposed of or shared under the applicable legal framework. Broader relevance to asset recovery outcomes in Latin America For ICAR and the wider Basel Institute, this is particularly relevant. Our long-standing work on asset recovery and international cooperation in Latin America provides a strong basis for this more integrated form of support. It also requires closer links with partners that can help address practical challenges arising in joint investigations. The Basel Institute is currently concluding a memorandum of understanding with IberRed aimed at strengthening support for the secure exchange and transfer of information and evidence. These efforts reflect how ICAR combines operational support with applied knowledge drawn from real cases and cooperation processes. Learn more - See the Peruvian Government press release in Spanish : Ministerio Público y Fiscalía General de Ecuador conforman equipo conjunto contra la criminalidad organizada transnacional. - Learn more about the Basel Institute's asset recovery work and current programmes in Latin America.
Diagnosing priorities for stronger asset recovery in Romania
A new diagnostic by the Basel Institute on Governance’s International Centre for Asset Recovery ICAR will help Romania target reforms and technical assistance to strengthen its ability to recover illicit assets. The report, Enhancing and Modernising the Romanian Asset Recovery System, was presented at an event hosted by Romania’s National Agency for the Management of Seized Assets ANABI in Bucharest in September 2026. It provides an independent assessment of the system and recommendations to improve its effectiveness. The event brought together senior Romanian officials and Swiss partners, reflecting high-level support for strengthening the asset recovery system. Participants included Switzerland’s Ambassador to Romania, Massimo Baggi, State Secretary at the Ministry of Justice Ioan Turc and ANABI Director General Elena Grăniceru, alongside representatives of national authorities, European and international partner institutions and civil society. Understanding the barriers to asset recovery To target support where it is most needed, ICAR experts examine how institutions recover assets in practice and what holds them back. The approach examines gaps against European and international standards alongside their underlying causes and the national context. In Romania, this involved desk research, interviews with practitioners and a follow-up visit to validate the findings with national authorities. The assessment covers the full asset recovery process, from investigation and asset tracing to confiscation, management and disposal. Romania has made significant progress, including establishing ANABI and developing the ROARMIS digital system for monitoring seized and confiscated assets. Yet a gap remains between the value of confiscation orders and the amounts ultimately recovered. The report examines contributing factors across the system, including constraints on financial investigations, fragmented asset management responsibilities and limited integration of information systems. Understanding these connections helps authorities and donors identify priorities and direct resources where they can make the greatest difference. It also supports reforms that strengthen cooperation between institutions and improve the system as a whole. Priorities for Romania’s next phase of reform The recommendations will inform Romania’s implementation of the new EU Directive on asset recovery and confiscation and its national asset recovery strategy for 2027–2031. Elena Grăniceru, Director General of ANABI, stated: Today's event brought together, around the same table, all the institutions involved in the identification, seizure, confiscation, management and recovery of the proceeds of crime, alongside our Swiss, European and international partners. The assessment carried out by the experts of the Basel Institute on Governance provides us with an objective benchmark for strengthening Romania's asset recovery system, and our partners' commitment to continue supporting us confirms the strategic nature of this undertaking. ANABI will continue to work with all competent institutions to translate the recommendations into concrete measures. ICAR Director Iker Lekuona confirmed our ongoing assistance: It was a privilege to conduct this assessment, building on our first review of Romania's asset recovery system in 2013. More than a decade on, it is really encouraging to see the progress Romania has made. Commissioning an independent assessment and making its findings public is a further demonstration of the Romanian authorities' commitment to continuous improvement. We look forward to continuing to support them in building an increasingly effective, coordinated and sustainable asset recovery system. How ICAR helps strengthen asset recovery systems The Romanian diagnostic illustrates how ICAR combines legal and operational expertise with a detailed understanding of national institutions to tailor its support. ICAR provides similar hands-on technical assistance to more than 40 agencies across two dozen countries worldwide. The diagnostic forms part of the Swiss-Romanian Cooperation Programme, supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. The initiative also includes training and eLearning programmes for practitioners. Learn more - Read the report on ANABI’s website. - Learn about ICAR’s train-the-trainer programme for Romanian practitioners. - See how ICAR has supported Romanian authorities in developing high-quality eLearning courses.
Keeping business integrity in motion: building trust and resilience through Collective Action
What happens when different stakeholders, such as businesses, governments, civil society, international organisations and academia come together around shared integrity challenges? The 6th International Collective Action Conference, held in Basel in June 2026, offered a powerful answer: Collective Action gives actors the conditions they need to tackle integrity challenges together that no single one of them could address alone. Under the theme “Business integrity in motion,” the conference brought together 154 participants from 103 organisations across more than 40 countries – a mix that reflects a central reality of today’s integrity landscape: corruption cuts across borders, sectors and institutions, so isolated responses rarely go far enough. Collective Action pools the knowledge, resources and influence of different actors around shared challenges and creates opportunities to address them together. This was at the heart of the opening keynote by Hanne Juncher, Director of Security, Integrity and Rule of Law at the Council of Europe: Collective Action is not just one tool among many. It is one of the most effective responses we have to corruption in today’s interconnected world. The discussions throughout the conference explored what it takes to translate that potential into practice – from the role of boards in driving business integrity and the opportunities and risks of technology, to measuring compliance and incentivising integrity among SMEs. Celebrating those who put Collective Action into motion The International Collective Action Awards provided a tangible illustration of this approach. The 2026 winners showed two complementary ways of driving change. Developing practical solutions to concrete integrity challenges The 2026 Collective Action Inspirational Newcomer Award went to CoST Malawi, for its Infrastructure Transparency Initiative Red Flags Algorithm – an initiative that brings together diverse stakeholders and uses technology to strengthen transparency and accountability in infrastructure governance. The initiative demonstrates how collaboration can become a practical tool for identifying and addressing integrity risks. By bringing actors together around public infrastructure data and developing and embedding a tailored algorithm into its publicly available infrastructure procurement platform, CoST Malawi is helping shift transparency from simply publishing information towards actively using data to identify potential risks and strengthen accountability. For the CoST Malawi team, the recognition was about much more than an award: This award is a proud moment for the CoST Malawi team and a testament to what can be achieved when diverse stakeholders unite around a common purpose. Collective Action is at the heart of the CoST approach, and this recognition reflects the commitment, dedication and partnership of everyone involved in promoting transparent, inclusive and accountable infrastructure governance in Malawi. Building the networks, capabilities and trust needed to sustain change The Gretta Fenner Outstanding Achievement in Collective Action Award went to the Alliance for Integrity, in recognition of its sustained contribution to advancing Collective Action and promoting business integrity. In particular, for building one of the world’s largest business integrity Collective Action networks encompassing companies, business associations, governments and civil society organisations across 16 countries. Through it, they have supported hundreds of trainers and companies in strengthening compliance and anti-corruption practices, with a strong focus on SMEs. The work of Alliance for Integrity demonstrates how networks connect actors who might otherwise work in isolation, while training builds the capacity to act and sustained engagement helps build the trust needed for collaboration to continue. As Alliance for Integrity reflected after the award: We are deeply honoured that the Alliance for Integrity won the Gretta Fenner Outstanding Achievement in Collective Action Award. While the award was presented to the Secretariat, we see it as recognition of the entire Alliance for Integrity network, including our regional hubs, local partners, trainers, companies and all those who contribute their time, expertise and commitment to advancing business integrity. The Secretariat holds the award, but it represents the collective work of our network. That is why the award is now travelling across our hubs and communities. It has already been to Paraguay and South Africa, with many more stops to come. Each stop is an opportunity to celebrate the people and partnerships that make the Alliance what it is, and to recognise the importance of local engagement in turning Collective Action into meaningful change. For us, the award is a shared symbol of the work being done across the network. It belongs to everyone who contributes to building trust, strengthening capacity and bringing businesses, governments and civil society together around a shared commitment to integrity. We are proud to hold it at the Secretariat, but even more proud to share it with the network that made this recognition possible. Together, the two winners demonstrate different ways Collective Action can create meaningful change. CoST Malawi built a new solution and showed how collaboration can generate innovative responses to specific integrity risks. Alliance for Integrity showed how building the relationships and capacity can create the conditions for change to take hold. From conversation to continued collaboration The conference gave participants room for discussion, opportunities to build relationships and explore further collaboration. Practitioners and researchers exchanged experiences across countries and sectors with a focus on how Collective Action initiatives can remain relevant, adaptable and impactful over time. The conference was supported by a diverse group of organisations from across the global Collective Action community of practice, including the Alliance for Integrity, TEID, Maritime Anti-Corruption Network MACN , UNODC, OECD, Transparency International and UN Global Compact. Their support, alongside that of the Siemens Integrity Initiative and conference sponsors AtkinsRéalis and Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions SA, reflected the breadth and strength of the community coming together to advance Collective Action. As the conference closed, one message stood out: business integrity is increasingly a collective endeavour. Tackling corruption and strengthening trust requires actors to move beyond isolated commitments and find practical ways to work together. The challenge for all of us now is to keep momentum going – expanding partnerships, adapting to new challenges and turning collaboration into lasting improvements for businesses, governments and citizens. Learn more ::: links - Report from the 6th International Collective Action Conference - Collective Action at the Basel Institute :::
Peru to reform key asset recovery law with Basel Institute support
Peru’s Attorney General, Tomás Gálvez, has established a multidisciplinary Commission to propose comprehensive reform of the country’s non-conviction based forfeiture framework. The Basel Institute on Governance has been appointed as the Technical Secretariat to the commission, as an extension of our longstanding cooperation with Peru’s Public Prosecutor’s Office Ministerio Público del Perú . Non-conviction based forfeiture – in Peru in the form of extinción de dominio legislation – allows the state to recover assets linked to illicit activity outside of criminal proceedings. By preventing criminal wealth from being hidden, transferred or reinvested, it can strengthen asset recovery and help disrupt the financial foundations of organised crime and corruption. About the Commission Chaired by the Attorney General, the Commission brings together senior prosecutors and representatives of institutions responsible for financial intelligence, law enforcement, asset recovery, taxation and public registries. It will also hear directly from specialised prosecutors, lawyers, judges and academics about the challenges they face and their proposals for reform. The Commission will meet twice a week and aims to produce a legislative proposal within three months. Its broad and inclusive approach is designed to deliver legislation that is both effective and respectful of human rights. Technical assistance for legal reforms Oscar Solórzano, Head of Latin America for the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery, will serve as the Commission’s Technical Secretariat, together with Deputy Head Walther Delgado. This is an important opportunity to support a balanced reform that strengthens Peru’s ability to recover illicit assets while upholding due process, protecting legitimately acquired property and reflecting international standards. These are critical aspects to ensure the law’s legitimacy, as Oscar Solórzano argued in 2024 in a Working Paper: Targeting illicit wealth through non-conviction based forfeiture: Identifying human rights and other standards for Latin America. Timeline of Peru’s non-conviction based forfeiture law The journey of Peru’s extinción de dominio framework makes an interesting case study in the development and use of laws designed to help combat corruption and organised crime. The Basel Institute has been closely involved for more than a decade, under programmes of the Swiss SECO-funded Programa GFP Subnacional, whose asset recovery activities are coordinated by Sergio Jiménez Niño, and the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery. The Peruvian experience provides a concrete example of a non-conviction based confiscation system that, following a period of significant implementation, is now undergoing a process of reassessment and adaptation in response to a substantial legal and political backlash framed largely around constitutional guarantees, due process and the protection of fundamental rights. The following timeline provides some insight and sets the context for the debates to come: 2018–2023: Building and testing a specialised system Peru’s current extinción de dominio framework was established by Legislative Decree 1373 in 2018, replacing the previous pérdida de dominio regime with an autonomous, property-based judicial process for recovering assets linked to illicit activity without requiring a prior criminal conviction. A specialised judicial and prosecutorial system was subsequently established across the country. Over the following years, the framework moved from legislation to practice. Prosecutors and judges developed experience, jurisprudence emerged and institutions worked to harmonise criteria. The Basel Institute supported this process through training, technical advice, case-based assistance, international cooperation and the development of reference material such as a two-part Compendium of Jurisprudence on Extinción de Dominio. The team also organised national conventions for specialised prosecutors and judges to harmonise understanding and application of the law across Peru. The system delivered significant results, recovering assets worth well hundreds of millions in US dollars and allowing Peruvian decisions to be recognised and enforced in several cases internationally. But implementation also brought difficult legal and practical questions to the surface, particularly concerning the autonomy of extinción de dominio from criminal proceedings, property rights, temporal application, evidentiary rules and procedural safeguards. 2024–2025: Constitutional scrutiny and legislative change In 2024, a constitutional challenge brought by Peru’s Ombudsman placed central elements of Legislative Decree 1373 before the Constitutional Court. At the same time, Congress was considering substantial legislative changes to the system. The Basel Institute set out technical arguments to inform the discussion, among others in public articles and a series of recorded debates. In May 2025, Law 32326 substantially amended the framework. The changes affected, among other things, the autonomy and scope of extinción de dominio, evidentiary requirements and limitation periods. The Public Prosecutor’s Office subsequently challenged the constitutionality of several of those amendments – a pending case that remains relevant to the current reform process. Then came Judgment 135/2025 of the Constitutional Court. The Court declared parts of the original framework unconstitutional and established binding interpretative criteria on issues including property rights, due process and the relationship between extinción de dominio and criminal proceedings. It ruled, in particular, that Legislative Decree 1373 could only apply to circumstances occurring after its entry into force. Importantly, the judgment did not bring extinción de dominio to an end. It established constitutional limits that the reform must respect, while also leaving room for legislative choices on important aspects of the system. 2026: From successive changes to comprehensive reform This is the legal and institutional landscape inherited by the new Commission. It must consider: - the original architecture of Legislative Decree 1373; - the amendments introduced by Law 32326; - the binding constitutional parameters established by Judgment 135/2025; and - the unresolved constitutional questions concerning the 2025 amendments. Beyond correcting individual provisions of the law, the Commission must grapple with the question: What model of non-conviction based forfeiture should Peru have, taking into account its constitutional framework, international standards and the criminal reality the mechanism is intended to address? Four areas at the heart of the reform The Commission has organised its work around four thematic areas. Each addresses a set of issues that has emerged from the experience of applying the law, the legislative changes and the Constitutional Court’s judgment. 1. Nature, scope and autonomy What should be the purpose and scope of non-conviction based forfeiture? When should it be available, what assets should it cover and how autonomous should it remain from criminal proceedings? The discussion also concerns its relationship with conviction-based confiscation and other asset recovery mechanisms. 2. Temporal application, legal certainty and protection of rights How should the framework address temporal application and limitation periods while protecting property and fair trial rights, bona fide third parties and victims? What consequences should subsequent criminal decisions have for assets already forfeited? 3. Procedure, evidence and due process What rules are needed for financial investigations, interim measures, burdens and standards of proof, rights of defence and judicial review? These questions go directly to how an effective asset recovery mechanism can operate within clear procedural guarantees. 4. Effectiveness International cooperation, enforcement and asset management. A successful system must also work beyond the courtroom. This area covers international cooperation, recognition and enforcement of foreign decisions, early information exchange, execution of confiscation decisions, management and preservation of assets, restitution and asset sharing, and coordination between the institutions involved in the asset recovery process. The Commission is addressing these areas progressively. It began in September by listening to specialised extinción de dominio prosecutors from across Peru about the problems encountered in practice and the effects of the legislative reform and the Constitutional Court judgment. National and international experts are then being invited to examine the different thematic areas before the Commission moves into deliberation and legislative drafting. Value of a multidisciplinary, participatory approach This approach is particularly valuable because many of the questions now being examined in Peru are not new. The autonomy of non-conviction based forfeiture, its relationship with criminal proceedings, retroactivity, property rights, evidentiary standards and due process have historically been among the main grounds on which such systems have been questioned around the world. What makes the Peruvian experience unusual is the possibility of observing these questions in real time. Rather than examining them retrospectively, the Commission can consider how they have arisen in a mature system, listen to those who have applied the law, hear different legal and institutional perspectives and assess possible solutions while the framework itself is being reconsidered. In that sense, Peru provides a particularly interesting opportunity to revisit in practice issues that have accompanied non-conviction based forfeiture internationally for decades. These are also central to the Basel Institute’s Working Paper 54: Targeting illicit wealth through non-conviction based forfeiture: Identifying human rights and other standards for Latin America, which examines how effectiveness, human rights, procedural safeguards and international standards can be reconciled in the design and application of these mechanisms. A reform against the clock The Commission is working under an exceptionally demanding timeframe. It has only three months to develop a comprehensive proposal on issues involving constitutional rights, criminal policy and the practical effectiveness of asset recovery. The short deadline reflects a deliberate sense of urgency. After months in which the reform process had largely stalled, Attorney General Tomás Gálvez has decided to use his legislative initiative to move it forward and seek a workable proposal as quickly as possible. Organised crime and illicit economies have not stood still in the meantime, and Peru needs an effective legal framework to target the assets that sustain them. That urgency is also reflected in the way the Commission is working. It meets twice a week, bringing together specialised prosecutors and national and international experts to examine the four thematic areas, test different approaches and progressively build consensus. The methodology requires intensive legal and comparative analysis, but also negotiation between different institutional perspectives within a highly compressed timeframe. The task is difficult precisely because both considerations are real: the urgency of strengthening Peru’s response to organised crime, and the need to ensure that the resulting framework is constitutionally sound, effective and sustainable.
Latin American practitioners join forces against evolving financial crime
Cryptoassets are transforming the work of investigators, prosecutors and asset recovery specialists across Latin America. At a dedicated workshop in Luxembourg, more than 30 practitioners came together to share how they are responding to the challenge – with practical solutions, strong regional leadership and a readiness to learn from one another. The workshop was co-organised by the Basel Institute on Governance and the UK National Crime Agency NCA . It was hosted by Luxembourg’s Bureau de gestion des avoirs as a side event to the 10th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptoassets. Participants came from prosecution services, police forces, financial intelligence units, supervisory authorities and the judiciary. As members of the Latin America Crypto Community of Practice, they share a determination to confront the rapid growth of cryptoassets and their exploitation by organised crime. Regional leadership in action The workshop placed the region’s own expertise at its centre. Practitioners from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Peru presented cases involving cryptoassets and asset recovery. They shared the approaches they had tested, the obstacles they had encountered and the lessons they had learned. The discussions reflected the tremendous effort taking place across Latin America. Practitioners are tackling complex technical, legal and operational questions, often while the risks, technologies and criminal methods continue to evolve. Maria Cordeiro, Senior Specialist, Asset Recovery at the Basel Institute and coordinator of the Latin America Crypto Community of Practice, said: The commitment and creativity of practitioners across Latin America are remarkable. They are not waiting for perfect laws, unlimited resources or ready-made solutions. They are getting to grips with difficult cases, testing practical approaches and helping one another move forward. That passion and leadership are exactly what this community is designed to support. Working through shared challenges Participants worked together on practical challenges related to the seizure, confiscation, custody, management and sale of cryptoassets. The discussions were frank and focused on finding workable solutions. Held in Spanish and under the Chatham House rule, the workshop provided a trusted space in which practitioners could speak openly and learn from their peers. The group also explored ways to strengthen cooperation against organised crime, illicit trafficking and other threats involving cryptoassets. These crimes operate across borders, making strong professional relationships and rapid information exchange essential. The workshop was opened by Oscar Solórzano, Director for Latin America at the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery. Perla, a subject matter expert from the UK National Crime Agency NCA , co-moderated the session. Partnerships and looking forward We thank the NCA for co-organising the workshop under its Illicit Finance programme in Latin America and the Luxembourg Bureau de gestion des avoirs for hosting it so generously. We are also grateful to the NCA, the US Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs INL in Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru, and the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program ICITAP in Colombia for funding the participation of practitioners in the workshop and the Global Conference. We also thank current sponsors of our Latin America Crypto Community of Practice for their support for this practitioner-led exchange: Kodex, Asset Reality, Tradias, VerifyVASP, Inca Digital, Coinbase, TRM Labs and CAT Labs. The workshop showed the value of bringing committed practitioners together around real cases and shared challenges. Discussions are already underway about a dedicated Latin America Crypto & Asset Recovery Conference in 2027.
African expertise takes centre stage at crypto and asset recovery workshop
Around 40 public-sector practitioners gathered in Luxembourg on 17 September 2026 for the Africa Crypto & Asset Recovery Workshop. The event put African experience, innovation and talent at the heart of discussions on cryptoasset investigations and asset recovery. Held as a side event to the 10th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptoassets, the workshop brought together specialists from financial intelligence units, law enforcement agencies, prosecution authorities, regulators and asset recovery bodies. Participants represented more than 15 African countries. The Basel Institute on Governance co-organised the workshop with the SecFin Africa. It was hosted by Luxembourg’s Bureau de gestion des avoirs. Learning from African experience The workshop was designed around peer learning. Practitioners from Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and South Africa presented real cases to their regional peers. They spoke openly about the obstacles they had encountered and the practical approaches they had developed to overcome them. The workshop took place under the Chatham House rule. Participation was restricted to public-sector officials to provide a safe space for candid discussion, questions and learning. This practitioner-led approach is central to the Africa Crypto & Asset Recovery Network. The Network recognises that valuable expertise and creative solutions already exist across the continent. Its role is to help practitioners share this knowledge, learn from one another and build trusted relationships across institutions and borders. As H.E. Ambassador Mary Chirwa, Ambassador of Zambia to the Benelux countries, said in her closing remarks at the main conference: I can speak for Africa: it may not have the same resources as other regions, but it has large, young and technologically astute populations – quick to embrace new technologies, question established approaches and find imaginative solutions. Practical tools and international cooperation The workshop also introduced practical tools that can support investigations and asset recovery. - Alexandru Donciu, Virtual Assets Specialist at the Basel Institute, demonstrated free and open-source tools for conducting on-chain investigations. - A representative of the French Gendarmerie and France’s Agency for the Management and Recovery of Seized and Confiscated Assets AGRASC presented ASAC. The application guides magistrates and investigators through procedures for tracing, seizing and confiscating criminal assets. - A Europol representative illuminated the work and approach of the European Financial and Economic Crime Centre and its collaborations with global law enforcement partners. The contributions from international partners highlighted the importance of connecting strong regional networks across continents. Cryptoassets move globally and effective investigations depend on cooperation that does the same. Connections that last beyond Luxembourg Many of the participants also attended the main Global Conference on 15–16 September. This gave the large African delegation opportunities to exchange experience with hundreds of peers from law enforcement, policymaking, research and the private sector. These face-to-face connections matter. They build the trust that makes it easier to pick up the phone when an urgent cross-border case arises. Our sincere thanks go to SecFin Africa and to the workshop’s co-moderators, Philippe Pacaud, Operational Coordinator at SecFin Africa, and Simon Marsh, Head of Africa at the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery. SecFin Africa is funded by the European Union, France and Germany. We also gratefully acknowledge the organisations supporting the Africa Crypto & Asset Recovery Network: Kodex, Asset Reality, Tradias, VerifyVASP, Coinbase, TRM Labs, CAT Labs and iSanctuary. Their support helps make this public-sector community and its activities possible while preserving a trusted and product-free space for practitioner exchange. The enthusiasm in Luxembourg also raised an exciting possibility: a dedicated Africa Crypto & Asset Recovery Conference in 2027. Watch this space.
New tools and partnerships strengthen the response to criminal use of cryptoassets
Criminal use of cryptoassets is spreading across the threat landscape as these technologies become more accessible and integrated into global financial systems. But this pressure is also accelerating innovation and collaboration among those fighting back – across law enforcement, industry, research and policy. The strength of that combined response was on show at the 10th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptoassets on 15–16 September 2026. Co-organised by Europol, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime UNODC and the Basel Institute on Governance and hosted this year by Luxembourg’s Bureau de gestion des avoirs BGA , the conference brought 450 specialists from nearly 90 jurisdictions to the European Convention Center Luxembourg. More than 2,000 people registered online. Iker Lekuona, Director of the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery and co-chair of the conference’s first day, said: We are proud to help bring together such an impressive community of experienced and emerging experts from the public and private sectors, representing so many countries and backgrounds. The energy was palpable. It will help spread and scale the effective tools and approaches shared here, and drive progress on common standards and innovative models of law enforcement and public-private cooperation. Innovation on show Cases presented at the conference illustrated how cryptoassets now feature in cyber attacks, sanctions evasion, terrorist financing, sabotage and political interference. Other sessions exposed the human cost of scams, trafficking and “wrench attacks”, in which criminals use violence to force cryptoasset transfers. Yet the sessions also showcased new ways in which authorities and their partners are responding. The hybrid conference – with the second day reserved for public authorities – showcased: - Advanced tools and techniques for identifying, tracing and seizing illicit cryptoassets, and for dismantling the criminal and money laundering networks behind them. - Cross-border cooperation that is enabling authorities to identify, freeze and secure cryptoassets before they can be moved beyond reach. - New public-private partnerships for sharing operational intelligence on active cases, as well as strategic intelligence on emerging threats and indicators that can help others detect similar activity. - New legal powers, procedures and technologies for securing and managing seized cryptoassets and preserving their value through to final recovery and return to victims or the state. Several of these advances can benefit cases that do not involve cryptoassets. Network analysis, faster intelligence-sharing and closer coordination between investigators, prosecutors and asset recovery specialists can strengthen wider financial investigations and asset recovery efforts. Collaboration builds trust The conference also marked an important step in efforts to develop common baseline standards for blockchain intelligence. A technical breakout brought together representatives of blockchain analytics providers, law enforcement agencies and research organisations. Participants explored how common terminology, data formats and analytical approaches could make blockchain intelligence more consistent and interoperable. This matters because investigators, prosecutors, financial institutions, crypto exchanges, regulators and supervisors increasingly rely on the information these tools produce. Clearer standards can support more consistent customer due diligence and more reliable investigative leads. They can also help ensure that evidence can be explained, challenged and tested in court. A separate breakout led by the Wolfsberg Group examined common problems in suspicious transaction reporting involving cryptoassets. Financial institutions, cryptoasset service providers and public authorities discussed how to make reports more consistent, efficient and useful to investigators. The sessions demonstrated that collaboration goes beyond individual cases. It also means building shared standards and systems that can strengthen broader efforts against crimes involving crypto. On the subject of trust and collaboration, H.E. Ambassador Mary Chirwa of Zambia, added in her closing remarks: Virtual participation greatly expands access, but meeting in person remains essential to building trust. When an urgent cross-border case arises, it helps enormously if the person receiving the call is someone you have already met. Progress, but no room for complacency Significant blind spots remain. Criminal methods continue to evolve fast, regulation and enforcement remain uneven, and many authorities still lack the skills, tools or legal powers they need. But the cases presented on the conference stage and the solutions explored in its breakout rooms showed that authorities and their partners are already adapting their tools and working methods. The priority now is to scale what works: expand trusted regional and international networks, agree common standards, invest in practical capacity building and make effective models of public-private cooperation easier to replicate. About the conference The 10th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptoassets took place on 15–16 September 2026 at the European Convention Center Luxembourg and online. Three side events on 17 September deepened the practical discussions: - A hybrid Cryptoasset Management Roundtable, co-organised by Luxembourg’s BGA and the Basel Institute, brought together specialist asset management and recovery professionals to share insights and co-develop guidance on the effective management and liquidation of cryptoassets. - A workshop for African public-sector authorities saw more than 40 practitioners from 18 African countries exchanging cases, typologies and practical approaches with their peers. The workshop was a collaboration of the Basel Institute-led Africa Crypto & Asset Recovery Network and the SecFin Africa project, co-financed by the European Union. - A parallel Latin America Crypto & Asset Recovery Workshop, co-organised by the Basel Institute and the UK National Crime Agency under its Illicit Finance project, provided a similar space for around 30 practitioners from 10 countries across Latin America. Learn more - Learn more about the conference at: baselgovernance.org/10crc. - View selected recordings from the conference on the 10 Global Conference YouTube playlist. Photos: Neumann Jérôme Photography.
New Norway-backed initiative to strengthen forest integrity
Illegal logging and mining are often enabled by corruption: officials looking the other way for personal gain, companies using their influence to bend or ignore rules, and criminals – along with their profits – being protected. Forests cannot survive if those crimes are allowed to thrive. A new Norway-funded initiative, “Leveraging Partnerships to Tackle Forestry-related Corruption and Crime”, targets the problem at its roots. Under the banner “Together for forest integrity”, the initiative will work with authorities, businesses and civil society, including Indigenous Peoples and local communities in Indonesia and Peru, to tackle the corruption that enables forest crime. It will also turn practical experience from both countries into tools and lessons that can be used elsewhere in the world. Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative NICFI is funding the project, which will last until the end of 2028. The Basel Institute’s Green Corruption programme leads the project consortium with TRAFFIC, Transparency International and WWF. The goal is to disrupt the corruption that drives forest crime, from illegal logging and timber trafficking to illegal mining and fraud linked to carbon markets. By creating obstacles to corruption, the project aims to strengthen forest governance, contributing to the protection of forests and the climate for all. Start with the people who know the problem Effective solutions need both local knowledge and specialist expertise. National and local partners in Indonesia and Peru will help shape the work around the problems they see, the reforms they need and the approaches most likely to last. The consortium will bring technical expertise and experience from different countries and sectors to support locally identified priorities. It will: - work with public authorities, businesses and civil society to identify priority corruption risks and strengthen prevention; - help build capacity to detect, investigate and respond to forestry-related corruption and financial crime; - work with civil society, Indigenous Peoples and local communities to strengthen independent monitoring on forestry-related corruption. Local ownership is central to the approach. The aim is to build systems, skills and tools with the people who will continue using them long after the project ends. Local partners will also help develop knowledge products, so that the programme captures and shares their experience and expertise. Test ideas, then help the good ones travel Indonesia and Peru are strategically important forest countries where corruption linked to logging, mining and other pressures on forests can have major consequences. But the project will also serve as an incubator and a platform to exchange experiences. Some approaches will work better than others. The point is to test them in practice, learn quickly and turn the strongest into useful models for others. With our global reach, the consortium will share practical tools and lessons from Indonesia and Peru, as well as experiences from other parts of the world. We will connect practitioners involved in conservation and anti-corruption, and provide a space for exchange and mutual support to help practitioners learn and adapt effective approaches. The Countering Environmental Corruption Practitioners Forum will help carry that learning further. Launched by the Basel Institute, TRAFFIC, Transparency International and WWF in 2022, the Forum now brings together more than 800 members from the anti-corruption and conservation communities to exchange experience, tools and ideas. The project will also share these experiences in international fora, with the aim of fostering further dialogue and action to address the linkages between corruption and forest threats. Backed by Norway The project brings together Norway’s long-standing commitment to forest protection with the consortium’s anti-corruption, conservation and enforcement expertise, and the knowledge of partners working closest to the problem. We are grateful to the Government of Norway and Norway's International Climate and Forest Initiative NICFI for funding the project and for entrusting the Basel Institute with leading its implementation. Can locally shaped approaches in Indonesia and Peru make it harder for corruption to enable forest crime, and can the best of those approaches work elsewhere too? We believe so, and look forward to working together to show how. Learn more - Interested in the project and wider community? Join the Countering Environmental Corruption Practitioners Forum for free to stay informed and take part in future events and discussions.
Would businesses still choose good governance if nobody required it?
For much of the last two decades, the direction of travel on corporate governance appeared relatively clear. Governments and international organisations were asking more of businesses, while investors were paying greater attention to how companies were run. Anti-corruption compliance programmes became more established, and expectations around responsible business conduct continued to expand. The direction of travel is no longer obvious. Geopolitical fragmentation and concerns about regulatory burden are changing the conversation. In some parts of the world, there has been a total retreat from the ESG agenda. This has reopened questions about what should be required of businesses and what they might choose to do voluntarily. Would businesses still choose good governance if nobody required it? Some undoubtedly would. Others might not. The answer depends, at least in part, on what businesses believe governance is for. If businesses invest in governance and compliance structures primarily because somebody requires them to, then reduced regulation weakens the incentive to make that investment. If, though, stronger governance helps organisations make better decisions, its value looks different. This question is particularly interesting for small and medium-sized enterprises SMEs , which mostly face fewer formal governance requirements than larger or listed companies. It was also at the centre of a recent webinar delivered by the Basel Institute on Governance for the Malaysian Institute of Management MIM as part of its anti-corruption certification programme. Focusing particularly on SMEs, the session explored what governance and compliance mean in practice and how internationally recognised principles can be applied without creating unnecessary bureaucracy. It also looked at the relationship with organisational culture and at what happens when an integrity challenge is bigger than any one company. The discussion provided the starting point for many of the reflections in this article.
Why it’s worth investing in international anti-corruption research – three cheers for the FALCON project
For three years, the Basel Institute's Prevention, Research and Innovation team worked with 24 other research partners from across Europe on the ambitious Horizon Europe FALCON Fight Against Large-scale Corruption and Organised Crime Networks project. Our consortium brought together expertise in social science and research, technology development and law enforcement. We worked closely together to innovate the fight against corruption and organised crime by designing data-driven risk indicators and AI-enhanced solutions. This massive research project generated many useful “deliverables” – corruption intelligence, risk indicators, practical tools, policy guidance – that anti-corruption and counter-crime practitioners can directly apply in their work. Perhaps more importantly, the research and interactions have helped us all understand corruption better – and provided the evidence we need to innovate anti-corruption methods. This is bringing real benefits to our technical assistance to governments and organisations seeking to find smarter ways to prevent and combat corrupt and criminal networks, in Europe and beyond. It’s an example of why international, multidisciplinary anti-corruption research projects are worth the investment even in times of tightened belts and budget cuts. As the project winds down, here are four lessons we’d like to share with others. We also offer our warm thanks to the consortium leaders and partners, and to the EU institutions and individuals who continue to promote deep research into corruption and crime. Lesson 1: Understanding how corruption evolves helps anti-corruption practitioners keep up FALCON provided clear examples of how – and how quickly – corruption and crime adapt and evolve. Traditional understandings of corruption focus on a fairly static list of behaviours like bribery or embezzlement. In fact, FALCON research demonstrated how corruption occurs in complex systems, playing out through resilient networks of actors, institutions and incentives that evolve within equally complex political, economic and social contexts. Each new enforcement measure, detection tool or regulation changes the behaviour of those trying to circumvent it. When challenged, criminal actors adapt, prompting authorities to respond with further reforms. It's a never-ending dance of push and shove that we observed in a range of different settings. For example, in our research for the FALCON project, we have seen that criminal actors: - adapt their corruption and criminal strategies in response to strengthened enforcement see our articles on the evolution of corruption and on corruption and crime at the Kapitan Andreevo border ; - relocate their illicit activities elsewhere see our Working Paper 58 on corruption as a facilitator of drug trafficking in the port of Rotterdam ; and - apply counter strategies , such as undermining reform efforts and dismantling or weakening anti-corruption institutions and policies; or even - weaponise the anti-corruption apparatus against rivals look out for our forthcoming report on backlashes to anti-corruption reforms . How to keep up? Our approach, which we refined during the FALCON project, is to always base anti-corruption and counter-crime interventions on a strong understanding of underlying criminal dynamics. Map the stakeholders and their relationships, interests and incentives. Identify risks and problems that could arise. From there, legal reforms, grassroots initiatives, technology and everything else can function best as a flexible anti-corruption toolbox. We assemble and revisit tools as the context shifts and our knowledge advances. Lesson 2. Use AI, but understand its limitations A key point often forgotten amongst the technology optimism is to treat tech tools, including the ones built as part of the FALCON project, as inputs to expert human judgement, not as substitutes for it. A risk indicator or dashboard score can flag suspicious activities that require a closer look, but it can't tell you why an anomalous pattern exists or what to do about it. We must check an AI model's output against contextual knowledge and other evidence, and keep in mind what it was and wasn’t calibrated to detect. The same caution applies to AI. AI tools can be useful for analysing huge quantities of data and detecting patterns that point to corruption. But an AI could just as easily facilitate corruption as help you to tackle it, so make sure human judgement stays in the driving seat. Lesson 3. Reach beyond the bubble to identify synergies or unintended consequences It can be tempting for anti-corruption researchers to work only within the anti-corruption community, and may seem more efficient. But the truly multidisciplinary FALCON research consortium showed how closely crimes and corruption are interlinked. Look at them separately and you miss the true picture. Intervene to prevent one problem, and you might have unintended impacts on another. An example from our research at the border between Türkiye and Bulgaria: - Beefing up border control capacity against trafficking can result in criminals relying even more on corruption to avoid detection. - Conversely, stronger enforcement against corruption can lead to traffickers using more sophisticated criminal strategies to get illicit goods safely across the border. Before designing any intervention, we should assess how increased pressure in one policy area may affect others, including through the displacing of risks. Anti-corruption programmes are more effective when we ask these questions from the outset and coordinate more meaningfully with those working on related issues like organised crime and security. Lesson 4. Use strategic foresight – systematically anticipate new risks and changed contexts Our work on foresight and anticipatory governance has enhanced how we approach political economy assessments, including in projects unrelated to FALCON. We have long found it important to consider what could shift the terrain – a new law, technology, conflict or other – and what this would mean for a planned anti-corruption intervention. Now we have found tools and systems to do this systematically and periodically. The approach helps our partners to revisit anti-corruption frameworks, track emerging risks and anticipate unintended consequences. That’s key to mitigating them and adapting in good time. It also tangibly improves monitoring and evaluation frameworks, as we are not only reporting on what happened in the past, but adapting to what is up ahead. What’s next? The FALCON research project provided not only the practical guidance and reports it promised, but also a far more detailed understanding of how corruption and crime interlink and smarter tools to act on them both. As the project closes, we are grateful for the partnership, energised by what we've learned and ready to expand and apply them in our technical assistance to governments and development partners worldwide. The FALCON project was funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe Framework Program Grant Agreement ID 101121281. The Basel Institute’s involvement in the project was funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI . Views and opinions expressed are those of the author s only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, the European Research Executive Agency or SERI.
Bringing local voices into Peru’s decentralisation debate
How can a country ensure that national policies, budgets and administrative systems respond to realities on the ground – often in local communities and territories far beyond the capital? This question is at the centre of a series of regional policy dialogues taking Peru’s decentralisation debate beyond Lima. Held under the banner “The State in the Territory: New Pathways for Decentralisation” El Estado en el Territorio: nuevas rutas para la descentralización , the dialogues bring regional and local perspectives into the development of national policy proposals for improving decentralised government. The Basel Institute’s Subnational Public Financial Management Programme Programa GFP Subnacional – funded by the Swiss Economic Cooperation since 2015 – is leading the initiative with additional support from the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. We are happy to partner with three leading Peruvian academic and research institutions: the Institute of Peruvian Studies, Grupo Propuesta Ciudadana GPC and Universidad del Pacífico. The first dialogue took place in the city of Piura in northwestern Peru. Public officials, specialists, academics and civil society representatives held technical discussions on multilevel governance and the coordination of the state’s administrative systems. Why decentralisation needs local voices Decentralisation can bring decision-making closer to people and make public services and investment more responsive to local needs. But transferring responsibilities is not enough. Regional and local governments also need adequate resources, institutional capacity and administrative systems that work across different levels of the state. This is a challenge in many countries. National policies and systems need to provide consistency, while leaving enough room to respond to different regional circumstances. Without that balance, decentralisation can result in fragmented policies and spending rather than more effective government. Listening to people who work with these systems on the ground is therefore essential. Their experience can reveal where national policies support local delivery, where they create obstacles and what could work better. Understanding territorios The word territorio reflects this approach. In Spanish, it means more than a geographical area. It describes the ties between people, institutions and the places in which they live. It also carries political and social meaning. Local identities, inequalities and economic and environmental conditions all affect how people experience the state. In the debate about decentralisation, territorio therefore highlights a desire to gain a ground-up understanding of people’s realities in order to inform state reforms. Concrete outcomes from the Piura dialogue Piura offers an especially relevant setting for the first regional dialogue. Its major infrastructure needs and its experience of climate-related shocks, reconstruction and disaster risk management illustrate the limits of fragmented public action. They also underline the need for stronger coordination across sectors and levels of government. The discussion centred on a policy paper draft by Carlos Vargas, Director of the Basel Institute’s Subnational PFM Programme. It highlighted the need to strengthen coordination across planning, budgeting, public investment, procurement and implementation. Participants also stressed that decentralisation reform should go beyond the transfer of responsibilities across levels of government. A key priority is to ensure that the State’s administrative systems work together more effectively at the local level. This would enable public institutions to respond in a more coordinated and coherent way to local needs and priorities. As Carlos Vargas said: Piura shows that decentralisation is not only about transferring functions, it is about connecting systems, resources and capacities so that public action responds to local priorities and citizens’ needs. How regional experience will inform national policy The contributions from Piura and other regional dialogues in Arequipa, Cusco, Loreto and Lambayeque will inform a revised version of the policy paper and a wider set of recommendations for Peru’s national policy debate. Each dialogue will examine a different aspect of the relationship between decentralisation, public management and territorial development. If decentralisation is to work for people across Peru, regional and local experience must help shape it.
From private sector compliance to a Financial Intelligence Unit: how specialised education supported this shift
"I wanted to have more impact in helping my country prevent and combat money laundering." In her role as an Anti-Money Laundering Analyst at a commercial bank, Hortensia Uupindi felt that something was missing. After reporting suspicious transactions, she could not see what happened next. This curiosity evolved into a career objective: to transition into a role where she could take a more active part in combating financial crime and safeguarding the integrity of the financial system. With this in mind, she decided to enrol in the postgraduate programme "CAS Combating Financial Crime Through Asset Recovery", delivered by the Basel Institute on Governance together with the University of Basel. In this interview, she shares her experience on taking the course, the ways it contributed to her professional growth and how it helped her transition into her current role at the Financial Intelligence Unit of Namibia. You were working in the compliance department at a commercial bank. What motivated you to take this programme? Working as an Anti-Money Laundering Analyst really opened my eyes to money laundering and its links to real-world financial crimes. Like many countries, Namibia also faces ongoing challenges with predicate offences such as corruption, fraud and tax evasion. At the bank, whenever we identified suspicious behaviour, we reported it to the Financial Intelligence Unit FIU . But we did not get to see what happened after that. At that time, I was familiar with the term “asset recovery”, but I did not understand how the entire value chain worked, with all its processes and challenges. Joining the FIU had always been one of my career aspirations. I was eager to learn more about asset recovery and strengthen my ability to contribute to my country's efforts to prevent and combat money laundering. The programme immediately caught my interest, and I knew it was an opportunity I could not miss. A few months ago, I successfully transitioned into my new role as a Compliance Analyst at the Namibian FIU. What change in perspective did this programme bring to your professional career? The course helped me understand the whole asset recovery process and the role I am playing in combating financial crime. It also showed me how to come up with solutions to resolve some of the challenges that slow the process down. That understanding made me appreciate the work I do on a daily basis even more. The aim is to prevent money laundering, but when an offence has already occurred, we want to recover those assets because they are proceeds of crime and make sure they are reinvested for public good. The Fishrot case in Namibia is a clear example of why asset recovery is so important. The funds that were misappropriated could have been used to support education, infrastructure and social development initiatives that would benefit the wider population. Instead, they enriched only a select few individuals. Recovering these assets would make a significant contribution to Namibia’s economy and development. The diversity of the cohort was another important highlight of the programme. I came from a banking background, but we had people from FIUs, anti-corruption agencies, asset management units and other areas. We could see how our different roles connect along the asset recovery chain. All in all, the programme changed my perspective because it gave me a balance between where I was and where I wanted to be. What was a highlight of the programme for you? There were many, both in terms of the content and the career opportunities. I particularly valued learning about international anti-money laundering frameworks and laws governing offences such as corruption and bribery. It enhanced my understanding of how illicit assets are acquired, as well as techniques for identifying and tracing them, before they are frozen, confiscated, recovered and re-used. Career-wise, the programme expanded my horizons. Before, I didn’t know there were so many career opportunities in the anti-financial crime sector. The lecturers and speakers showed us the diversity in this space. You were able to join the programme thanks to the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund. What did this support mean to you? I was fascinated by the programme until I saw the tuition fees. I couldn’t afford to pay for it in full. Then I saw that a scholarship fund was available, so I applied for both the programme and financial support. Being one of the recipients of partial financial support was a blessing. The course came at the perfect time in my career, equipping me with valuable knowledge and practical skills that have strengthened my professional capabilities. I would really encourage individual donors and organisations to continue supporting the scholarship fund. Capacity building is important, because it's only when skilled people are at the forefront of countering financial crime that a real difference can be made to society. What would you say to other professionals, including those in the private sector, who are unsure whether the programme is worth it? The programme is worthwhile. It has a structure that you don’t often find: a mix of practical experience and deep knowledge, combining lectures with real-world experience. It is beneficial for colleagues who already work in this field, but we also had classmates from other fields who are aspiring to enter the sector. It is friendly both for beginners and experienced professionals. The Basel Institute demonstrated a high level of professionalism throughout the programme. The lecturers were highly knowledgeable and generous in sharing their expertise. They consistently took the time to address our questions and brought in professionals from various sectors to provide additional insights. This programme truly has equipped us to play our part in the fight against financial crime. For anyone contemplating, it is truly a worthwhile opportunity. Thank you, Hortensia, for sharing your story and highlighting the impact this postgraduate programme has had on your professional journey. Learn more ::: links - Discover “Combating Financial Crime Through Asset Recovery” - Postgraduate programme delivered online in partnership with the University of Basel. - Contribute to the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund - Help train the next generation of anti-corruption professionals. - Discover our offer of short online training courses - Practitioner-led training focused on real-world financial crime challenges. :::
Specialising in asset recovery: why this Argentinian prosecutor decided to take the leap
“When it comes to economic crime, securing a conviction is not always enough. If we do not recover the assets, we are not returning to society what was stolen from it.” This realisation marked a turning point in the career of Julio Petrucci, a prosecutor at the Attorney General’s Office of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Driven by this mindset and by his desire to keep pace with the way crime operates today, Petrucci decided to enrol in the postgraduate programme “CAS Combating Financial Crime Through Asset Recovery” delivered by the Basel Institute on Governance together with the University of Basel. In this interview, he tells us about the challenges of his work, the issues demanding greater specialisation and the advice he has for other public servants who, like him, are striving to serve their citizens better. A prosecutor’s work requires constant adaptation. What motivates your daily work and what challenges do you face? My main motivation is to try to do good and to help repair what is broken in society when a crime is committed. In my country, as well as across the region, there are many economic difficulties and high levels of social inequality. Many people who become victims of crime rely on the Public Prosecutor's Office and other public institutions for support. As a prosecutor, I want to be able to provide these victims with answers and practical tools. Over time, I began to realise that my initial training was largely focused on crime in traditional, physical settings. However, crime scenes are often digital or have a strong financial component. That's when I identified the need to look for new tools to strengthen my investigations. It was through this search that I discovered the Basel Institute on Governance and its educational programmes. Why did you choose the Basel Institute programme to specialise in asset recovery? I was particularly interested in the specialised programme on asset recovery for three reasons: - first, because asset recovery is a highly relevant and rapidly growing field; - second, because I could not find other advanced courses offering this level of specialisation in countering financial crime; - and third, because of the international reputation of the Basel Institute on Governance and the University of Basel. What change in perspective did this programme bring to your professional career? The course marked a before and after in my career. In Argentina, asset recovery is still a developing field. Historically, we have analysed criminal cases with the aim of securing convictions. However, when it comes to economic crime, securing a conviction is not always enough. If we do not recover the assets, we are not returning to society what was stolen from it. Throughout the course, I learned not only about the different legal frameworks that exist around the world in this area, but also how to apply them to specific cases. The academic team and the online learning platforms were excellent. All this new knowledge and practical tools are already proving extremely useful in my day-to-day work. They have even contributed to my professional growth in ways that I am not yet able to comment on officially. This was also my first international experience. I got to meet people from different countries and professional backgrounds, which was very enriching. You were able to join the programme thanks to a scholarship. What did this support mean to you? I am a public official in a country facing significant economic challenges. The salaries of public officials like me, both in Argentina and across Latin America, are not particularly high. In this context, I saw that the Basel Institute offered financial support through the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund and decided to apply for it. From the outset, the team was very receptive. After some interviews, I was awarded a partial scholarship thanks to the funds they had raised, which allowed me to take the course. To donors and benefactors, I would say that their contribution is not just individual support for a student: it is a direct investment in justice systems in our countries. Thanks to their contribution, I now have the tools to investigate complex crimes and recover assets that belong to society. Why would you recommend this training to other prosecutors or investigators in the region? When you work in public service, and especially in a role such as that of a prosecutor, it is very difficult to look beyond what you see in your daily work. But crime is changing. In fact, it has already changed, and if we do not adapt, we will not be able to do our jobs effectively or help repair what is broken in society when a crime is committed. For this reason, I encourage prosecutors and others interested in tackling financial crime to step outside their day-to-day routine and take courses like this. I highly recommend this programme to them, not only because of its academic quality but also because of the quality and dedication of the Basel Institute team. It was an incredible experience. Thank you, Julio, for sharing your story and highlighting the impact this postgraduate programme has had on your professional journey. Julio Petrucci is just one of many talented professionals who have been able to take this course thanks to the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund. We are deeply grateful to all those who have generously contributed, and continue to contribute, to this fund, especially the International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators, Bonifassi Avocats, Bennett Jones, ECO Strategic Communications and Kellerhals Carrard. Learn more ::: links - Discover “Combating Financial Crime Through Asset Recovery” - Postgraduate programme delivered online in partnership with the University of Basel. - Contribute to the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund - Help train the next generation of anti-corruption professionals. - Discover our offer of short online training courses - Practitioner-led training focused on real-world financial crime challenges. :::
Asset recovery postgraduate programme: Celebrating our first graduating cohort
How and where can a professional acquire specialised knowledge in asset recovery? A year ago, that question didn’t have an easy answer. Today, it does: with the postgraduate programme "CAS Combating Financial Crime Through Asset Recovery", offered by the Basel Institute on Governance and the University of Basel. This July, we were delighted to welcome the first cohort to our headquarters in Basel and host the 1.5-day hybrid closing event. Here are a few highlights from the programme, and what participants themselves had to say about their experience. A programme unique in its class This Certificate of Advanced Studies CAS was developed to address a longstanding gap in postgraduate education. While aspects of asset recovery are covered in some university courses, there has until now been no similar qualification combining academic learning with practical skills. The programme draws on more than two decades of experience from our International Centre for Asset Recovery ICAR , which has worked with authorities around the world to strengthen financial investigations, asset recovery and international cooperation. Graduates receive a CAS degree from the University of Basel, one of Switzerland's leading universities. A global classroom The first cohort brought together prosecutors, investigators, lawyers, anti-money laundering specialists, development practitioners, bankers and policy professionals from 10 countries across Africa, South America, Asia and Europe. The online format with live sessions helped make that possible. It gave participants the flexibility to join from anywhere in the world and balance the course with their day-to-day work – and, just as importantly, to connect with peers working under completely different legal systems. That’s exactly the kind of contact that matters for international cooperation. As one participant from Europe explained: The exchange with other participants working in different jurisdictions was extremely valuable. That was crucial for seeing how asset recovery is approached differently elsewhere, and what options other jurisdictions have. Asset recovery is a global issue now – money moves across the world, so you can't just sit in your office thinking everything stops at the border. The cohort also spanned different levels of expertise, from prosecutors to lawyers working in cybercrime to people just entering the field. As another participant, who works in development cooperation, explains: After having worked for two decades in development cooperation, I realised that if less money was lost to financial crime, countries could decide more autonomously where to invest in their own development. So I got interested in the topic of money laundering, and how we could get better at fighting it. Learning by doing When we asked participants what they found most valuable or unique about the programme, the answer was always the same: its practical approach. Asset recovery is a complex discipline that spans financial investigations, international cooperation, prosecution and the management and return of confiscated assets. Professionals working in this field need not only legal knowledge, but the practical skills that can be applied across different jurisdictions and institutional settings. Over six months, the cohort engaged in interactive online sessions built around real cases and realistic simulated investigation exercises, guided by practitioners who have investigated and prosecuted financial crime themselves. A participant from Uruguay explains: In most certifications, the focus tends to stay on theory and definitions, spending a lot of time discussing ethical and regulatory issues. But in this case, it was so case-specific and applied that by the end, you know what you have to do, you know how to investigate and you know the steps for asset recovery. The final project: a professional opportunity That practical focus culminates in the personal project each participant is now completing in order to graduate: a chance to advance a project from their own work, a side interest or simply an area they want to explore in more depth. One participant is taking the programme to build up a specialised Asset Recovery Office within the Ministry of Justice. It tackles the problem that currently, competence is split between the prosecutor's office and the police, and neither magistrates nor police officers have the same view of the data. Another participant is working on a proposal to bring public-private collaboration to her country's asset recovery efforts. She noticed a clear gap: information that should flow between the two sectors simply wasn't being exchanged. Throughout the programme, she tested her model with instructors, refining it with their feedback. Her final project now sets out how that collaboration could actually work in practice. Discussing future career steps The closing event was also a chance to look ahead to the careers and opportunities this certificate can open. An exclusive panel discussion showcased the breadth of career paths in combating financial crime, bringing together experts from international organisations, the public sector and private industry. The panel featured Kodjo Attisso Coordinator of the Illicit Finance Fusion Center – Africa at UNODC , Federica Maschera Group Financial Crime Engagement Manager at HSBC Holdings plc , Pedro Gomes Pereira Advisor on Anti-Corruption and Asset Recovery and Maria Schnebli Federal Prosecutor at the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland . The panellists shared their career paths and challenges in the various sectors, and the steps they took to get to their current affiliations. Maria Schnebli also gave a keynote speech on international collaboration and the challenges of combating financial crime from a Swiss prosecutor's perspective. This tied in perfectly with the work the students had done throughout the course. The Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund Some students in this cohort could only take the course thanks to financial support. We launched the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund to help cover tuition costs for talented professionals from low-income backgrounds. We have received, and continue to receive, generous donations from organisations and individuals alike. Julio Petrucci, a prosecutor at the Attorney General's Office of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, was one of the participants who benefited. As he puts it: To donors and benefactors, I would say that your contribution isn't just individual support for one student – it's a direct investment in justice across our countries. Thanks to your contribution, I now have the tools to investigate complex crimes and recover assets that belong to society. We are deeply grateful to our donors for making these opportunities possible, especially the International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators, Bonifassi Avocats, Bennett Jones, ECO Strategic Communications and Kellerhals Carrard. Another way to build capacity As the first cohort prepares to graduate, the programme marks another step in the Basel Institute's efforts to strengthen global capacity to investigate financial crime, recover stolen assets, and build a new generation of practitioners connected through a worldwide community of practice. Along with our second postgraduate programme, “CAS Mastering Today’s Anti-Corruption Challenges”, it marks our current portfolio of practice related academic programmes to support careers, knowledge and skills development of talented international professionals and practitioners. Congratulations to all the participants of this first cohort. Learn more ::: links - Discover “Combating Financial Crime Through Asset Recovery” - Postgraduate programme delivered online in partnership with the University of Basel. - Contribute to the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund - Help train the next generation of anti-corruption professionals. - Discover our offer of short online training courses - Practitioner-led training focused on real-world financial crime challenges. :::
How Peru is making asset recovery a frontline tool against organised crime
A joint reflection by Iker Lekuona, Director of the Basel Institute's International Centre for Asset Recovery ICAR and Oscar Solórzano, Head of Latin America for ICAR, on how Peru is translating its commitment to combating organised crime into lasting institutional capability. Across Latin America, governments face mounting pressure to respond to organised crime, illicit finance and growing public concerns about security. At the same time, international development budgets are under strain. In this environment, one question keeps resounding: how can countries build capacity to tackle complex criminal threats with greater independence and resilience? For those of us working in asset recovery, the answer lies in institutions. Our goal in building asset recovery capability One of the ambitions behind ICAR’s technical assistance has always been straightforward. We want our partners to reach the point where they no longer rely on us for day-to-day operational support. Our partnerships should evolve towards higher-value strategic collaboration. Technical assistance should leave behind stronger systems, stronger expertise and stronger institutions capable of carrying the work forward independently. This is why recent developments in Peru are particularly significant. A strategic response to financial and organised crime Under the leadership of Attorney General Tomás Aladino Gálvez Villegas, the Public Prosecutor's Office is implementing a series of reforms that embed financial investigation, asset recovery and institutional coordination at the heart of Peru's response to organised crime. The reforms form part of the Sistema Fiscal Integrado de Recuperación de Activos SFIRA or “Integrated Prosecutorial Asset Recovery System”. At a meeting in May this year with Attorney General Gálvez and senior colleagues, we reflected on the challenges posed by modern organised crime and the need for institutions that can respond to increasingly sophisticated illicit financial flows. Regarding the intent behind the reforms, the Attorney General commented: We cannot continue expecting different results while relying on the same institutional approaches. Organised crime has evolved, and so must we. This reform reflects our determination to move beyond declarations of intent and build the permanent capabilities that prosecutors need to confront increasingly sophisticated criminal organisations. Reflecting on impact of the Basel Institute’s technical assistance through ICAR, he said: We value the support that the Basel Institute on Governance has provided over the years, and we invite the Basel Institute, our government institutions and the wider international community to join us in this effort. Confronting organised crime is a shared challenge that requires a shared commitment. This is how we turn commitment into practical action. Having worked closely with the Peruvian authorities for more than a decade, we believe this direction will be transformative for the country and its people. We also believe other jurisdictions can be inspired by this strategic, systemic response. We share some of the reasoning and details below. Organised crime is a financial phenomenon Public debates about organised crime often focus on violence or trafficking. Yet in anti-corruption and asset recovery circles, we all know that criminal organisations survive only because they are able to generate, move, conceal and reinvest enormous sums of money. The financial dimension of organised crime has become increasingly important as criminal groups expand across borders, diversify their activities and develop closer relationships with professional facilitators and corrupt actors. Illegal mining, environmental crime, drug trafficking, corruption and money laundering are frequently connected through the same financial networks. This is one reason why asset recovery has attracted growing attention from governments and international organisations alike. Less-known benefits of focusing on asset recovery Recovering illicit assets is valuable in itself, not least in times of squeezed public budgets and reduced flows of development aid. Confiscated assets can be reinvested in enhancing the capabilities of law enforcement and prosecution authorities. They can also be used to compensate victims and communities affected by corruption and crime. More importantly, the process of conducting financial investigations and pursuing illicit assets helps authorities understand how criminal networks operate, identify those who profit from them and weaken the structures that allow them to endure. This agenda has particular relevance today because it commands broad support across political and ideological divides. Governments may disagree on many issues. The need to tackle organised crime and illicit finance is rarely one of them. What makes the reforms innovative and impactful Experience has also shown that asset recovery cannot remain a specialised activity reserved for exceptional cases. To keep pace with increasingly sophisticated criminal organisations, countries need to move beyond isolated successes and build institutions that make financial investigation and asset recovery part of everyday prosecutorial practice. In Peru, rather than creating another specialised unit, the Public Prosecutor's Office is building an institutional model that brings together the capabilities needed to tackle the financial dimension of organised crime in a more coordinated, multidisciplinary and sustainable way. The model combines specialised operational support for prosecutors, strategic criminal analysis and stronger institutional coordination. At the same time, it seeks to ensure that the knowledge gained through complex investigations is progressively embedded within the organisation. The objective goes beyond success in individual cases. The aim is to strengthen the Public Prosecutor's Office's long-term capacity to investigate, disrupt and recover the proceeds of organised crime. Importantly, the new arrangements will support both international and domestic asset recovery efforts. - International cases remain essential but often require years of litigation and cooperation across multiple jurisdictions. - Domestically, Peru can also do a lot to target criminal assets located within its own borders and to disrupt illicit economies that continue to fuel insecurity and corruption. As part of this effort, the Public Prosecutor's Office is investing its own resources in the new structure, including resources linked to a tripartite asset return agreement between Peru, Luxembourg and Switzerland that was supported by the Basel Institute through ICAR. From technical assistance to national ownership This institutional model reflects capabilities developed over more than a decade of operational cooperation between our ICAR team and the Public Prosecutor's Office. Through joint work on complex investigations, both our institutions developed practical approaches to financial investigation, international asset recovery and multidisciplinary prosecutorial support. The current reforms seek to embed these proven capabilities within the permanent structures of the Public Prosecutor's Office. This will ensure that the knowledge accumulated through years of operational cooperation becomes part of the institution itself rather than remaining dependent on external technical assistance or individual expertise. For donors and development partners, this matters. The value of technical assistance cannot be measured only by assets recovered or training sessions delivered. Its deeper contribution lies in helping institutions develop the confidence, capabilities and structures needed to perform these functions independently and continuously improve them over time. Why this matters beyond Peru Every country must develop solutions that fit its own legal system, institutions and priorities. Yet some lessons travel well. One is that asset recovery works best when it is integrated into broader efforts to combat organised crime rather than treated as a specialised activity operating at the margins of criminal investigations. Another is that sustainable progress depends on institutions. Cases come and go. Leadership changes. Criminal networks evolve. Strong institutions provide continuity. Peru's reforms will not solve every challenge posed by organised crime. No single reform can. But they represent a thoughtful and ambitious attempt to strengthen the state's ability to understand, investigate and disrupt the financial foundations of criminal activity. For us, they also represent something else: evidence that long-term partnerships can create capabilities that endure beyond any individual project. There are few better outcomes for a technical assistance programme than seeing the ideas, methods and expertise it has supported become part of the institutions it set out to strengthen.